Journey Across the Plains and the Mountains to California
Ellen White left Battle Creek on Monday, October 3. Because of delays she was unable to reach St. Helena by Sabbath, so she stayed over on Friday and Sabbath in Reno and spoke to the people there. Her granddaughters Ella and Mabel were in Reno; Ella taught church school and Mabel engaged in other work. After a pleasant weekend, Ellen White and her party hastened homeward. As she passed through Oakland, she found the workers at Pacific Press busily packing up the last of their things to take them to Mountain View. “The empty buildings at Pacific Press look lonesome,” confessed Willie; he had known them since 1877 (24 WCW, p. 370).5BIO 358.1
When they reached home, they found Marian Davis desperately ill at the St. Helena Sanitarium. Illness which could be traced to a cold contracted during the 1903 General Conference led to tuberculosis. During Ellen White's trip in the East she grew progressively weaker, although she continued with her literary work. This situation was exceedingly painful to Ellen White. For twenty-five years the two had worked together.5BIO 358.2
Although Marian rallied a bit when Ellen White returned, she passed to her rest early in the afternoon of Tuesday, October 25. On October 26 she was buried in the St. Helena Cemetery where Elder J. N. Loughborough and a number of other early workers await the call of the Life-giver. Of her and her work, Ellen White wrote:5BIO 358.3
For twenty-five years Sister Davis had been a most faithful helper in my work. She was greatly appreciated by me and by all who were acquainted with her and her work, and we miss her very much. Of her it can truthfully be said, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord ..., that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”—Letter 29, 1905.5BIO 358.4